What does a material handler/warehouse do?

A warehouse material handler is responsible for assisting warehouse operations, moving merchandise from one place to another, labeling products, performing quality check procedures, packaging goods, and loading and unloading items from distribution vehicles. Warehouse material handlers operate warehouse tools and equipment for production, as well as ensuring the adequacy of stock inventory needed for orders and deliveries. A warehouse material handler also updates product information on the database and do administrative tasks, such as writing reports and responding to customers' inquiries and concerns.
Material handler/warehouse responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real material handler/warehouse resumes:
- Experience in WMS management system.
- Handle stock tickets, and pack cross-dock shipments in accordance with establish WMS procedures.
- Pull installation material for service partners and technicians using RF scanners and JDE warehouse management system.
- Perform all warehouse distribution duties using sit-down and stand-up lift trucks, RF scanners and warehouse management system.
- Utilize material moving equipment such as pallet jacks, forklifts and dollies to bring products and materials to an appropriate location.
- Move property from one place to another with and without the use of pull carts, dollies, and pallet jacks.
- Maintain cleanliness of warehouse by operating floor scrubber/brooms.
- Load completed orders on pallets according to the delivery specifications.
- Maintain safety and cleanliness of facility to ensure proper functioning and safe working conditions.
- Improve order processing and inventory logistics by adding labels to bin locations for easier identification and determination of equipment on hand.
- Operate electrical pallet jack and various industrial power equipment.
- Require to use PC and/or rf-base systems to perform tasks and use manual or power pallet jacks.
- Used MAXIMO to assist with shipping and receiving, merchandise check-in and order matching.
- Monitor supply levels on hand; anticipate future needs for reordering using MAXIMO and SARSS I/II.
- Operate MHE in the performance of duties and holds an appropriate license.
Material handler/warehouse skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Material Handler/Warehouses are proficient in Pallets, Work Ethic, and Warehouse Environment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Hand-eye coordination, Listening skills, and Physical strength.
We break down the percentage of Material Handler/Warehouses that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 16%
Loaded completed orders on pallets according to the delivery specifications.
- Work Ethic, 12%
Acquired strong work ethic Learned personal responsibility skills Gained knowledge of warehouse mechanics and machinery
- Warehouse Environment, 9%
Have nearly 5 years of experience in a warehouse environment with a very in-depth understanding of warehouse operations.
- Customer Orders, 7%
Research customer complaints regarding shipping discrepancies and reconcile customer orders and inventory levels.
- Supply Support, 5%
Perform levels of materiel management supply support and quality assurance.
- Ladders, 4%
Climb up ladders and check signal at hub sites.
"pallets," "work ethic," and "warehouse environment" are among the most common skills that material handler/warehouses use at work. You can find even more material handler/warehouse responsibilities below, including:
Hand-eye coordination. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a material handler/warehouse to have is hand-eye coordination. Their role and responsibilities require that "most hand laborers and material movers use their arms and hands to manipulate objects or move objects into specific positions." Material handler/warehouses often use hand-eye coordination in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "inventory control, shipping/receiving, quality control, customer service and coordination of issuing/distribution of supplies. "
Listening skills. Many material handler/warehouse duties rely on listening skills. "hand laborers and material movers follow instructions that a supervisor gives them.," so a material handler/warehouse will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways material handler/warehouse responsibilities rely on listening skills: "comply with osha and msds standards.skills usedactive listening.social perceptiveness.time management.transportation.customer and personal service.equipment management.production and process.computers and electronics. "
Physical strength. This is an important skill for material handler/warehouses to perform their duties. For an example of how material handler/warehouse responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "some hand laborers and material movers must be able to lift and carry heavy objects." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a material handler/warehouse: "performed annual physical inventory and quarterly cycle counts for all warehouse products. ".
Customer-service skills. A big part of what material handler/warehouses do relies on "customer-service skills." You can see how essential it is to material handler/warehouse responsibilities because "hand laborers and material movers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical material handler/warehouse tasks: "followed customer purchase order pick each products and stamp label on for shipping. "
The three companies that hire the most material handler/warehouses are:
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Material handler/warehouse vs. Warehouse machine operator
Warehouse machine operators perform various tasks for their employers. These include setting up, operating, monitoring, and troubleshooting machinery, inspecting parts for specifications and any potential damage, and reading and interpreting diagrams and blueprints to position and secure the machines. They are expected to communicate with other team members and provide support for continuous production. Most employers are looking to hire someone with knowledge of production and safety procedures, previous experience as a machine operator, and analytical skills.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between material handler/warehouses and warehouse machine operator. For instance, material handler/warehouse responsibilities require skills such as "pallets," "work ethic," "supply support," and "ladders." Whereas a warehouse machine operator is skilled in "forklift operation," "machine operation," "cnc," and "customer specifications." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Warehouse machine operators earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $36,642. On the other hand, material handler/warehouses are paid more in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $34,722.On average, warehouse machine operators reach similar levels of education than material handler/warehouses. Warehouse machine operators are 0.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Material handler/warehouse vs. Warehouse technician
A warehouse technician is responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing goods and services in the warehouse or distribution centers. Warehouse technicians verify shipment details, assist with packaging items, move merchandise to storage areas, inspect the quality of items for release, and escalate defective products for immediate replacement. They also operate various warehouse equipment and machinery, conduct maintenance repairs, and loading and unloading items from the delivery trucks. A warehouse technician must have excellent time-management and organizational skills, especially on processing orders and creating reports for inventory receipts.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, material handler/warehouse responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "work ethic," "supply support," "production schedules," and "math." Meanwhile, a warehouse technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "logistics," "data entry," "patients," and "strong customer service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Warehouse technicians may earn a higher salary than material handler/warehouses, but warehouse technicians earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $36,898. On the other hand, material handler/warehouses receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $34,722.In general, warehouse technicians achieve similar levels of education than material handler/warehouses. They're 0.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Material handler/warehouse vs. Warehouse specialist
A warehouse specialist is someone who manages the daily procedures and functions of the warehouse efficiently and effectively. Their services are often needed in shipping docks, airports, and other industry warehouses. The specialist's primary responsibilities include supervising the shipping and receiving of materials and products, organizing the storage area, and monitoring the inventory. Candidates for the job must have strong knowledge in inventory control systems, able to multi-task, be physically fit, and able to safely operate warehouse machinery.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from material handler/warehouse resumes include skills like "warehouse environment," "ladders," "production schedules," and "rf scanner," whereas a warehouse specialist is more likely to list skills in "logistics," "safety rules," "data entry," and "rf. "
Warehouse specialists earn the best pay in the transportation industry, where they command an average salary of $36,575. Material handler/warehouses earn the highest pay from the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $34,722.When it comes to education, warehouse specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to material handler/warehouses. In fact, they're 0.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Material handler/warehouse vs. Warehouse associate
Warehouse associates are employees who take on any task needed at the company warehouse. They receive incoming deliveries, store the items in their proper places, scan the items to log them into the company system, manage stocks and inventory, conduct product inspection to check for damages or defects, and maintain the overall cleanliness of the warehouse. Warehouse associates are also responsible for receiving purchase orders, assembling and packing products related to orders, checking the accuracy of the products relative to the order, and ensuring proper shipment of the products.
Types of material handler/warehouse
Updated January 8, 2025











